A 3-Step Lockdown Workout Program

In my childhood a gym and working out were mainly for those who wanted to have those bulgy biceps and striking calves. In the last few years however, there has been a rise in the importance of workout and fitness programs for pretty much everyone. People have now begun to see importance of walks and jogs and just general all round physical health. There has also been a mushrooming of instagram, facebook and youtube video tutorials for ideal workout plans. In this write-up I want to share 3 tips for a great workout. There’s a catch though. I am talking about a great spiritual workout. In the words of the genie from Aladdin – “made you look.” But now that you are here I hope you will keep reading and be blessed by these three tips.

Step 1: Reach up!

Any spiritual workout that does not begin by reaching up to God is merely introspection or self-help techniques. Don’t get me wrong, these techniques can be quite therapeutic and calming in their own way and they have a place. But don’t mistake them for a spiritual workout. The bible narrative is among other things a narrative of God’s invitation to reach up to Him. This reaching up is not merely a religious experience. As you read the pages of scripture you find that it is a deeply relational experience that God invites us to and it is one that strengthens the spirit.

The Bible gives us two simple and definite ways to “reach up”. Firstly, we reach up to God through both the meditating on and applying of His word. Scripture is foundational to any possible reaching up to God that we intend to do. Secondly we reach up to God through prayer. As Paul would encourage us in Ephesians 6, we are to pray with all kinds of prayer. He would encourage us in the 1 Thessalonians to be praying at all times. Any attempt to reach up to God that does not include a time of prayer again falls flat on its face.

So we begin our spiritual workout with that – reaching up. For in our reaching up toward God and understanding more of His character and seeing more of what is on His mind and heart we develop spiritual muscle and spiritual heath. Isn’t that what a workout is all about?

Step 2: Reach out!

Now, for most of you who know Christian lingo you must have immediately thought I will write about evangelism or sharing my faith. But that is not what I mean by reach out. By reach out I mean reach out to others like yourself. Build relationships with those with a similar spiritual purpose as yours and inculcate relationships of mutual accountability. Having friends who speak God’s word into your life is a profound blessing. It is these friends who will also ask you the tough questions that will move you out of your comfort zones or pull you out of any spiritual apathy that may creep in. The bible has many such examples of people being strengthen through the community that they fellowshipped in. The Bible also has many direct and indirect commands on the need to develop these accountability relationships.

As you stretch out and build this kind of fellowship your spirit is nourished by the conversations, encouragement and correction that it brings. Your spirit is strengthened by the accountability and conversation, correction and encouragement you give to them as well. All this works together to bring nourishment to your spirit – to grow muscle and spiritual health. Isn’t that what a workout is all about?

Step 3: Reach down!

Whatever rung of the spiritual and emotional ladder you might be on there is potentially always someone below you. By reach down I mean reaching for those people. Now by using the word “down” I am in no way saying they are of lesser worth, function, importance or value as you or anyone else. But what I am saying is that spiritually or emotionally they might be in a weaker place than you. The Bible is clear in its teaching that we are to be a community that looks out for others. We are not to be a self-seeking or self-serving community. Even the very act of missions and evangelism is fueled by this desire to better the lives of those around us.

In the activity of reaching down we have no better role model than Christ Himself. The entire Gospel story is a story of God reaching down to us. We were so far below and so lost and hopeless in our sin and yet God reached out to us. When Jesus commissions the disciples to go and make disciples He was commissioning them to reach out to those spiritually weaker than them and to walk with them and bring them to a place of strength and obedience.

Each time we reach down to help someone get stronger we need to bolster ourselves with a faith that is strong and an understanding of the gospel and of God that will impart strength to them. Thus this exercise of reaching down works to also in turn strengthen us – to build spiritual muscle and spiritual health. And isn’t that what a workout is all about after all.

So maybe this lockdown period is a good time to spend reflecting on your spiritual health. It might be a great time for you and me to put a good “spiritual workout program” in place so that when we are allowed out of the home again we emerge stronger and healthier – at least spiritually speaking.